Low Bids: Police shooting land auction short of expectations

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — An auction of land to help offset the cost of a $6.5 million legal settlement with the family of an unarmed black man killed by a white North Charleston city police officer has fallen short of expectations.

The city spent $5 million to help pay for the settlement with the family of 50-year-old Walter Scott.

To offset the cost, 28 acres of city-owned land were auctioned, but The Post and Courier of Charleston reports (http://bit.ly/2aJvaWY ) that bids Thursday reached the appraised value of the land for only one of the four tracts.

The city reserved the right to refuse any bids below appraisal and city council will review the bids next week.

Former officer Michael Slager goes on trial for murder in October in the Scott shooting.